Honda is a world-renowned brand in the automobile industry.
The name is synonymous with both affordable and high-end two-wheelers ridden by motorcycle enthusiasts in almost every country.
Honda has launched several products ever since its inception in 1948. However, one of the most loved and talked-about vehicles manufactured under the company was the Honda Super Cub.
This vehicle is also the most produced bike throughout the history of motorbikes. The Honda Super Cub is a 50cc under one motorbike that runs on a four-stroke single-cylinder engine. Its manufacture began in the year 1958 and continues to be produced even today.
Soichiro Honda, the founder of Honda Motor Company Ltd., along with the company’s Managing Director Takeo Fujisawa, visited Germany in 1956. Here, they saw the rising popularity of mopeds and lightweight motorbikes. Fujisawa was responsible for the business and sales aspects of their company.
At the time, he had been looking to build a long-term strategy to take their company forward. He wanted the company to come up with a product that is viable for most of their customers, a vehicle that gives a good performance but can also be used by everyone. For people living then, a cycle or car was most preferred, so hardly a small portion of the people chose to ride a motorcycle. Here, Fujisawa saw his opportunity and thought of a new motorbike.
Soon, Honda was informed of Fujisawa’s idea, and the two continued their research to develop it. The latter was very clear on what kind of a bike he was thinking of and couldn’t find anything similar in the automobile market. Fujisawa wanted their new motorbike to be technologically simple, reliable, and suitable for both urban and developing countries.
His vision of the bike’s design had to be a reality before its production could begin, as they were sure that the manufacturing will be done in huge numbers and any alterations after it can be a troublesome affair. A design that came close to what Fujisawa wanted was of the scooter, but the scooter-type motorbike’s wheels were too small to be ridden in developing countries and, its complicated design could be difficult to maintain.
After the two returned to Japan, Soichiro Honda took it upon himself to design this new motorbike. He had gained an understanding of what Fujisawa needed. The motorcycle to be designed should be small, with an engine of around 50cc. The wires and other such parts should stay covered, and the bike must have enough balance that it can be ridden even with one hand. Honda came up with a design that would soon revolutionize the two-wheeler market, the Honda Cub.
The Honda company took every effort in manufacturing and making the Super Cub available for most countries, starting from their home in Japan and growing to the U.S. and so on. Since it was the time post-war, trading grounds were hard to manage. Hence, to deliver the Honda Super Cub in the U.S., Honda company launched its subsidiary, the American Honda Motor Company, in 1959. The production was soon launched in other countries like Germany, Belgium, U.K., and France.
The Honda Super Cub was the first motorcycle to consist of a plastic fairing. The bike was built using polyethene, which greatly lowered its cost. It sported a plastic fender and leg shields. Inspired by the technology developed by Honda for the Isle of Man TT race, the Honda Super Cub had a 50cc four-stroke engine that could give 4.5HP.
The company didn’t leave any stone unturned when it came to the production of the Honda Super Cub. A new 10 billion yen factory was built in Suzuka, Mie, which many industry experts found risky. This was the world’s largest motorcycle production unit. The company did face some trouble when the factory started functioning, however, things got better once the sales of the motorcycle began.
As anticipated, the Honda Super Cub was a success with the masses. Its convenient and affordable design did wonders in capturing consumer’s attention. The success of this motorcycle can also be contributed to the marketing strategy applied by the Honda company. ‘You meet the nicest people on a Honda’ was the tagline that increased the company’s value for the people. Before then, motorbikes were generally considered a vehicle for young men. But with the Honda Super Cub, the idea that anyone could ride a motorbike became prevalent.
The relevance of the Honda Cub stood the test of time. The company is now launching new and improved versions of the motorcycle in the market. However, the bike’s original design remains intact. The new version comes with a 125cc fuel-injected engine, four-speed semi-automatic transmission, and a front-wheel anti-lock braking system. The bike continues to sport the step-through chassis that was a highlight in its older versions. You could also get a rear carrier attached to the new Cub if required.
The Honda Super Cub was a relevant bike decades ago and continues to be a preferred bike now, so let’s see how its story goes.
